10 Fast-Growing Salad Chains You're About to See Everywhere
Salads are having a moment. From viral TikTok trends to an emphasis on quality ingredients, consumers care more and more about what goes into their salad bowls. That's also reflected in a growing movement for restaurant brands. Move over, hamburgers! Salads and grain bowls would like a word.
Great salad chains are nothing new, but they are becoming more prominent in a more health-conscious world. Moreover, salads are more interesting now than ever before. Gone are the days when a salad was a simple plate of romaine lettuce, shaved carrots, and Italian dressing. Salads now come in all shapes, sizes, and textures, with toppings as creative as they are colorful. That has helped salad chains boom across the country.
In the coming years, you could start to see even more salad chains pop up in strip malls and on street corners near you. The following salad chains are either in the middle of rapid growth or have plans for a big expansion in the near future, so the restaurant chain landscape in your hometown could look very different in just a few short years.
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Crisp & Green
With over 150 new locations in development, Crisp & Green is on the fast track to notable expansion. Those efforts start with nearly one dozen new restaurants around the midwest, close to its home state of Minnesota. According to Blue Book, neighborhoods could see these new locations being built as early as this fall. From there, Crip & Green plans to open locations in states including North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas, and Idaho.
Cava
Few restaurant chains could rival Cava's growing popularity in the world of salads, grain bowls, and pita wraps. Recently named the fastest-growing restaurant chain by Yelp, Cava opened over 70 new restaurants in 2023. That growth continues to be recognized, as Fast Company named Cava one of the fastest-growing brands in 2024. According to Bloomberg, that includes expanding west with its first Chicago location this spring.
sweetgreen
While some chains are cutting back as part of a broader downsizing trend in the restaurant industry, Sweetgreen shows promise for growth, according to Placer.ai. Thanks to its commitment to serving high-quality, healthy ingredients and appealing to specific demographics, Sweetgreen is another salad chain consumers can expect to see in more locations in the coming years. It already has restaurants in over 20 states, with several new locations coming soon in existing as well as brand-new markets.
Just Salad
Not only can consumers expect to see more Just Salad restaurants around the country in the coming years, but they can also expect to get their salads even quicker. According to Restaurant Business Online, the restaurant chain plans to open its first-ever drive-thru location this summer in New Jersey. This move is part of an effort to grow the chain in its existing markets as it prepares to move into new markets by 2025. There are nearly 100 Just Salad locations nationwide, with nearly two dozen set to open this year and an additional 25 to 30 locations in development for next year.
Chopt
Fans of the growing salad restaurant chain movement are likely familiar with Chopt. Based in New York City, Chopt has reached the forefront of salad chain enthusiast's hearts and minds, expanding to nearly one dozen markets across the United States. Restaurants can now be found in states including Virginia, Tennessee, Connecticut, and Alabama. Chopt's growth has included contactless restaurant models, including new ones in Georgia with self-service ordering kiosks. According to QSR Magazine, this model is meant to improve efficiency and order accuracy. Could this be the future model for other salad chains? Only time will tell.
Saladworks
Saladworks may not have standalone locations on every street corner. Instead, the brand is on a mission to be found in every grocery store. Saladworks currently has at least one or two locations in nearly two dozen states, allowing for plenty of room to grow in those markets. Part of Saladworks' strategic growth includes partnering with grocery chain ShopRite. According to Forbes, its presence in ShopRite stores involves utilizing salad bar spaces to offer some of its specialty products. Similar partnerships have been established with Kroger as well, according to QSR Magazine.
Salad and Go
Salad and Go has shown consistent growth since 2023. According to CNBC, the chain averaged a new location opening on a weekly basis, with the same pattern expected for 2024. Expansion plans include opening new restaurants outside its home region of the Southeastern United States, with locations planned for California. The chain is also eyeing markets like Oklahoma and Las Vegas, Nevada, according to Chain Store Age. With two commissaries, or central kitchens, in Phoenix, Arizona, and Dallas, Texas, Salad and Go hopes to have the capacity that can carry it "well into the thousands of restaurants," says chief executive Charlie Morrison.
Playa Bowls
If there's one truly ambitious health-forward chain out there, it might very well be Playa Bowls. Those living in the northeast are already familiar with the brand, but that awareness will soon start to spread quickly across the country. According to Chain Store Age, Playa Bowls will have nearly 200 locations in the works, either preparing to open or committing to doing so. Specializing in fruit bowls, Playa Bowls is leaning heavily on multi-unit franchise agreements to reach its goals. Prepare to see them across the United States, including markets such as Boston, Chicago, and Miami (via PR Newswire).
Freshii
Since its opening in 2005, Canadian brand Freshiii has expanded to nearly 400 locations around the world. Freshii Founder and CEO Matthew Corrin believes this growth trend is setting the chain up for long-term success, stating, "Eating healthier is not a fad" in QSR Magazine. The chain experienced hardships coming out of the pandemic before being acquired by multi-brand restaurant group Foodtastic. With over 100 locations being planned at that time, Freshiii could be poised as becoming one of the more recognizable restaurant brands out there as it seeks new franchise opportunities.
Fresh & Co.
Fresh & Co. has had its eyes set on expansion for several years. Based in New York City, the brand sought to grow into other East Coast markets like Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and Florida as far back as 2018 when it first launched its franchising opportunities. Those efforts are still ongoing, with new locations opening as recently as spring 2024 in Connecticut (via Restaurant Magazine). Fresh & Co. offers a menu that includes salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, and more.
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